Historical Dictionary of SikhismContrary to popular opinion, there is more to Sikhism than the distinctive dress. First of all, there is the emergence of Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, and the long line of his successors. There are the precepts, many related to liberation through the divine name or nam. There is a particularly turbulent history in which the Sikhs have fought to affirm their beliefs and resist external domination that continues to this day. There is also, more recently, the dispersion from the Punjab throughout the rest of India and on to Europe and the Americas. With this emigration Sikhism has become considerably less exotic, but hardly better known to outsiders. This expanded and updated second edition of the dictionary is an excellent place to learn more about the religion. It provides a chronology of events, a brief introduction that gives a general overview of the religion, and a dictionary with several hundred entries, which present the gurus and other leaders, trace the rather complex history, expound some of the precepts and concepts, describe many of the rites and rituals, and explain the meaning of numerous related expressions. All this, along with a copious bibliography, provides readers with an informative and accessible guide toward understanding Sikhism. |
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18th century Adi Granth Ahluvalia Akal Purakh Akal Takhat Akali AMRIT SANSKAR Amrit-dhari Sikhs Amritsar Anand Anandpur Ardas Baba Banno Bedi bhagat Bhai Gurdas Bhasaur Bhindranvale British caste Chand Chandigarh Damdama Dasam Granth death Delhi divine Name early Fateh Five Ks Goindval Golden Temple gurdwara Gurdwara Reform Movement Guru Amar Guru Amar Das Guru Arjan Guru Gobind Singh Guru Granth Sahib Guru Hargobind Guru Nanak Dev Guru Ram Guru Tegh Bahadur Guru's Harimandir Sahib Hindu hymns India janam-sakhis Jassa Singh Jatha karah prasad Kartarpur Kaur Kes-dhari Khan khand Khatri kirtan Lahore leader Maharaja Ranjit Singh misl Mughal Muslim Namdharis Nath PANJ Panth Patiala political Pothis Punjab Punjabi University rahit-nama Ramgarhia religious sacred Sahaj-dharis sakhis Sanatan Sikhs sangat Satluj scripture SGPC shabad Sikh faith Sikh Gurus Sikh history Sikh Rahit Marayādā Sikh Religion Sikhism Singh Sabha Tat Khalsa teachings Teja Singh tradition Udasi village Vir Singh